Reflection
In Maroon Lake.
John Fowler from Placitas, NM, USA — CC BY 2.0 · Lorie Shaull from Washington, United States — CC BY-SA 2.0 · KimonBerlin — CC BY-SA 2.0 · RyanFSpack — CC0 · mark byzewski — CC BY 2.0
The Maroon Bells are two peaks in the Elk Mountains of Colorado, Maroon Peak and North Maroon Peak, about 500 metres apart and about 19 km southwest of Aspen. Their view from the Maroon Creek valley is one of the most photographed scenes in the country. Both peaks top 4,200 metres, the higher being Maroon Peak at 4,317 metres. They stand in the Maroon Bells–Snowmass Wilderness of White River National Forest, one of the first wilderness areas designated in Colorado in 1964. The peaks are made of mudstone, which gives them their distinctive deep maroon colour but fractures easily, so a sign on the trail warns climbers of loose rock. The red, snow-streaked peaks rise above Maroon Lake, scooped out by glaciers and later dammed by rockfall, and mirror themselves in its still water. In autumn the aspens on the slopes turn gold, and in summer the meadows fill with wildflowers. Visitors come to Maroon Lake; in peak season access may be limited to advance reservations, so check before you go. Trails run around the lake, and it is a main access point for the wilderness beyond. Reflections are best at sunrise, and climbing the peaks is for experienced mountaineers only.
In Maroon Lake.
Gold in autumn.
Fragile mudstone.
Maroon Lake, Maroon Bells Scenic Area, near Aspen, Colorado, United States
It may be needed in peak season, so check ahead.
Sunrise; autumn for colour.